Brassiere



NOV. 1, 1938. A ALBERTS 2,135,094

BRASS IERE Filed Feb. 11, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Hi ATTORNEY-5 Nov. 1, 1938. AA. ALBERTS BRASSIERE Filed Feb. 11, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet R O T N E V m H 1? ATTORN EYS Patented Nov. 1, 1938 nmissmnn Ann Arons Alberts, New York, N. Y.; Leon N.

Alberta, executor of Ann Arons Alberta, de-

ceased Application February 11, 1937, Serial No. 125,207

Claim.

This invention relates to garments for women. It has for its object to provide a garment such as a brassiere, corset or the like which will give better and more natural support to the bust with a 5 greater degree of comfort than is obtainable with such garments as heretofore constructed, and

which will eliminate any tendency to impair the health because of improper support.

A further feature of the invention is to provide a snug fit beneath the bust to prevent the garment from working upward, and also to provide a snug fit at the sides so as to prevent the gaping of the upper edge of the brassiere away from the body.

Another object of the invention is to cause the garment to hug the body tightly in the center at the front so as to give emphasis to the natural feminine figure.

The invention also aims to confine the flesh at the sides of the bust and to improve the bust line of unsymmetrical figures.

In most garments of this kind as heretofore made, the breasts were confined within pockets in the garments by the tension of the body-encircling portion of the garment and by shoulder straps attached to the upper edge of the garment over the centers of the pockets. By means of the construction of the present invention the tight drawing over the fronts of the breasts which is unavoidable with garments constructed as above mentioned, is eliminated, and yet the desired uplift{ or supporting and lifting of the breasts from beneath is obtained.

Attempts have been made heretofore to make such garments more comfortable by providing an inner section which is free and disconnected from the main or band portion of the brassiere except at selected points of connection therewith, this inner section forming so-called bust supporting and receiving pouches. The upper edges of these pouches, however, had a tendency to produce a sharp line of pressure underneath the breasts which tended to make the garments uncomfortable. This difiicuity is entirely overcome by the construction of the present invention.

In other previous efforts to render these garments more acceptable the material forming the pockets was reinforced or stiffened with the intention that the pull ofthe shoulder straps extending upwardly centrally of the breasts would The desired comfort, however, cannot be secured in a garment of this sort where the material in direct contact with the breasts is provided with stiffening means.

The invention will be better understood by conbe prevented from drawing tightly over the front.

(Cl. H2)

sidering the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example two embodiments of the invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is an inner or rear view of the improved brassiere; I Fig. 2 is an outer or front view;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the ga ment as it is worn; I

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of a portion of the garment intended to illustrate the action thereof in supporting and lifting the breast;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-- -5 of Fig.3; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification.

Referring now to these drawings, the brassiere comprises a band i, adapted to encircle the body in the region of the bust, together with shoulder straps 2 and 3 and suitable connections between the ends of these straps and the band portion. The band portion i consists of two front sections 4 and 5 and two side sections 6 and 1, these latter extending around the body and partially across the back, as is customary in garments of this kind. The garment is held in place by fasteners 8, connected together by an elastic extension 9 being inserted tomake the garment fit snugly.

The portions 4, 5, 6 and I are made of soft, pliable fabric but which has comparatively little give" or stretch. The front sections 4 and 5 are stitched together along a vertical seam i0 and to the side sections 6 and 1 respectively by means of seams H and I2. These seams are preferably covered with suitable tape in the usual manner, as well as the seam l3 which extends along the bottom of the garment.

The front sections 4 and 5 are given shape as desired by means of darts It in order to embrace the lower portions of the breasts of the wearer. The upper portions i5 are preferably made of a light material such as net or lace and may be pointed at the top in the usual manner. I

The shoulder straps 2 and 3 are made of relatively inelastic material such as ribbon but may be provided with elastic inserts I 6, preferably at the back.

The front ends of the shoulder straps, instead of being attached to the tops of the net portions IS, in such a manner that the support given by the straps to the breasts would produce tension over the fronts of the breasts, are attached to the front sections 4 and 5 at the sides of each section, by means of angular straps l1 and I8.

These side straps I! and I8 are of relatively inthe wearer bends or twists sidewise.

extensible material similar to that of the shoulder straps. The upper portions II are held up by means of elastic connections l9. between the Shou d p and the upp r edges of these upper portions. Upper portions l5 serve more as mere coverings for the upper portions of the breasts than as confining means, and the elastic connections are merely to hold these cover portions in place. j 7

Side straps and I! are preferably connected to the shoulder straps in such a manner as to at least partially equalize the tension in the two straps and permit of lateral shifting as Thus, for example, the straps i1 and I8 may conveniently be made of a single piece of ribbon material sewed at their ends to the upper edges of the front sections 4 and 5 with the central portion passing through a slide member secured to the end of the shoulder strap.

When the garment is in position on the body of the wearer the seam l3 encircles the body just below the bust line, and the front sections 4 and 5 extend upwardly beneath the breasts from this seam to approximately the horizontal center line of the bust, as may be seen in Figs. 3 and 5. The centers of the upper edges-of sections 4 and 5 are located Just below the centers of the breasts while at the sides thereof these edges may be and are preferably somewhat higher. These sections 4 and 5 under the tension of the seam l3 and'the side straps l1 and i8 consequently form a sort of soft cradle extending beneath the breasts, within and upon the upper surface of which the lower portion of each breast rests. When the garment is put in place, therefore, by the wearer, the breasts are not only lifted to a uniform elevation, but also the flesh at the base of the breasts, particularly on the lower sides thereof, is urged outwardly filling the outer portion of the cradle-like members 4 and 5 and being lifted into light contact with the upper portions I5.

This is illustrated in the drawings in Fig. 4, where the dotted and somewhat circular line indicates the approximate outline of the breast (viewed from the front) before the garment is applied, and the smaller dotted approximately circular line indicates the location of the base of the bust after the garment is in position. The positions of the side straps l1 and I8, before the garment is secured on the body of the wearer, are shown in dotted lines, and the positions which these straps assume after positioning the garment are shown in full lines. The arrows also indicate that as tensionis applied to the side straps l1 and I8 during the application of the garment to the body of the wearer, the lower ends of these straps swing toward one another showing that the lifting of the flesh into position to fill the outer portion of the recesses formed by the front supporting sections 4 and 5 and the cover section I5 causes the base ofthe breast to be reduced in diameter. A drooping figure is thereby moulded to accomplish the desired youthful bust line.

The lifting of the breasts, however, by the shoulder straps 2 and 3 is accomplished by means of these side straps l1 and I8 which extend around well to the sides of the breasts, as may be seen in Fig. 3, so that these straps have very litle curvature. in the front direction and consequently do not press undesirably against the body of the wearer. From Fig. 3 it will be seen that these straps l1 and 1l8 are very nearly straight when in actual position when the gar- 'ment is in place. Furthermore, this lifting action of the straps I! and I8 is entirely independent of the upper or cover portion IS. The amount of-pressure exerted by these cover portions I5 over the fronts and upper portions of the breasts is controlled by the length and stretchability characteristics of the elastic connections I9.

Hence the garment can be readily constructed to provide any desired degree of looseness or firmness of the upper cover portions l5.

Referring now to Fig. 6 of the drawings, there is here illustrated a modified form of my improved garment which is similar in construction to the garment above described, except in one respect, namely, in the form of extensible connection between the shoulder straps and the upper or cover portions l5. Instead of providing an elastic connection such as the connection I! shown in the previous figures, the garment of Fig. 6 has a connection 2| which is adjustable in length. This may be arranged in any convenient manner, but I have shown a strip of tape, or ribbon material, 22 secured to the shoulder strap 2 at the rear of slide 20, the lower end of this strip passing through an eye 23 attached to the point of the cover portion l5 and the strip terminating in a slide 24 which may be moved up and down on the strap in a well known manner.

When the extensible connection takes this form the strip 22 may be of inelastic material, and the cover members l5 may be adjusted to a comfortable position by adjustment of the slide 24. This adjustment is independent of the support of the front sections 4 and 5 by the side straps I1 and II. An adjustable elastic connection may, of course, be employed if desired, by making the strip 22 of elastic webbing.

The brassiere of the present invention might be called a bandeau for stout women, since the garment is constructed as is the ordinary bandeau which is intended for the more slender or youthful figures. The support of the lower portions of the bandeau beneath the breasts by means of the side straps l1 and I8, however, in dependently of the support of the cover portions l5 enables the bandeau to be successfully and comfortably worn by large persons.

I claim:

1. In a garment of the class described, a band of soft flexible material adapted to encircle the bust having a pair of outwardly-extending, generally-conical recesses at the front to receive the breasts, each of said recesses including a lower breast-supporting portion and an upper cover portion, shoulder straps extending upwardly centrally of the recesses and connecting means for each shoulder strap comprising a pair of side straps secured at their lower ends to the band at the sides of the recesses at places substantially in horizontal alignment with the centers thereof, said straps having their upper ends secured to theshoulder strap, and an extensible connection between the upper portion of the band and the shoulder strap, whereby the side straps are caused to support the lower portion of the band beneath each breast thereby lifting the breasts and at the same time drawing them inwardly at the sides and causing them to conform to the shape of the recesses without applying tension over the front of the breasts.

2. In agarment of the class described, a band adapted to encircle the bust having a pair of outwardly-extending, generally-conical breast receiving sections each comprising a cradle portion and a cover portion, a pair of shoulder 'straps, and means for connecting the front end of each shoulder strap to one of the cradle portions comprising a pair of side straps secured at their lower ends to the sides of the cradle portion at places substantially in horizontal alignment with the centers of said breast-receiving sections, said straps having their upper ends secured to the shoulder strap, and an extensible connection between the upper part of each cover portion and its shoulder strap, whereby the side straps and cradle are caused to support the breasts at the same time pulling them each inwardly at each side thereby causing them to conform to the shape of the breast receiving sections without applying tension over the front of the breasts.

3. Ina garment-of the class described, a band of soft'fiexible material adapted to encircle the bust having a pair of outwardly-extendinggenerally-conicai recesses at the front to receive the breasts, each of said recesses including a lower breast-supporting portion and an upper cover portion, shoulder straps extending upwardly centrally of the recesses and connecting means for each shoulder strap comprising a pair of substantially inelastic side straps secured at their lower ends to. the band at the horizontal sides of the recesses and having their upper ends secured to the shoulder strap, and an adjustable connection between the upper portion of the band and the shoulder strap, whereby the side straps are caused to support the lower portion of the band beneath each breast thereby lifting the breasts and at the same time drawing them inwardly at the sides and causing them to conform to the shape of the recesses without applying tension over the front of the breasts.

4. A garment of the classdescribed comprising a band adapted to encircle the bust having a pair of breast-receiving sections, apair of shoulder straps, a pair 01' substantially inelastic connecting straps secured at their lower ends to the horizontal sides of each breast-receiving section and eirte'nding upwardly and attached to one of the shoulder straps, and an elastic connection between the. upper portion of each breast-receiving section and its shoulder strap whereby the side straps will support the lower portion of the band beneath each breast and thereby lift the breasts and at the same time draw them inwardly at the sides and cause them to conform to the shape of the recesses without applying tension over the front of the breasts, and the elastic connections will hold the upper portion of the breast-receiving sections over the breasts without applying appreciable pressure against the breasts.

- 5. A garment of the class described comprising a band to encircle the bust having a pair of breast-receiving sections, a pair of shoulder straps whose back ends are attached to the bands, and means for connecting the front portion of each shoulder strap to one of said sections comprising a pair of substantially inelastic side straps secured at their lower ends to the horizontal sides of each breast-receiving section and extending obliquely upwardly and having a slidable equalizing connection for attaching their upper ends to the forward portion of their shoulder strap, and an elastic connection between the upper portion of each breast-receivingsection and its shoulder strap, whereby the side straps will support the lower portion of the band beneath each breast and thereby lift the breasts and at the same time draw them inwardly atv the sides and cause them to conform to the shape of the recesses without applying tension over the front of the breasts, and the elastic connections will hold the upper portion of the breast-receiw ing sections over the breasts without-applying appreciable pressure againstthe breasts,

' ANN ARONS ALBERTS. 

